Kolkata Airport Bomb Scares: Two IndiGo Flights Targeted with Lavatory Threats
Security operations at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were thrust into high alert on Saturday following two chilling bomb threats discovered on separate IndiGo flights operating to and from northeastern destinations. The incidents, occurring nearly ten hours apart, involved ominous handwritten messages found in aircraft lavatories, prompting immediate emergency responses from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and bomb disposal squads.
Morning Flight to Shillong Delayed by Four Hours
The first security scare unfolded aboard IndiGo flight 6E 7304, an ATR 72 aircraft scheduled for a morning departure to Shillong. According to airport officials, a crew member discovered a handwritten note on tissue paper inside one of the lavatories around 9:25 AM. The message contained the alarming words: 'Bomb in flight'.
The discovery occurred after the aircraft had already been cleared for departure and was being pushed back to taxi toward the runway for takeoff. Immediately, the flight was instructed to hold its position while airport authorities convened the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee.
"The committee promptly categorized the threat as specific, triggering the full implementation of our bomb threat contingency plan," explained an airport official involved in the response. This comprehensive emergency protocol required the evacuation of all 61 passengers—including one infant—and four crew members who were already seated and prepared for departure.
The aircraft was then moved to an isolated bay where luggage was systematically offloaded. Bomb disposal experts conducted a thorough, methodical search of the entire aircraft, resulting in a significant delay of over four hours for the Shillong-bound flight.
Evening Flight from Dibrugarh Faces Similar Threat
As security personnel were concluding their investigation of the morning incident, a second threat emerged in the evening involving IndiGo flight 6E 4894 arriving from Dibrugarh. Prior to landing at Kolkata airport at 7:37 PM, the captain radioed air traffic control to report that a bomb threat had been discovered onboard.
Airport authorities confirmed that another threatening message had been found inside an aircraft lavatory, this time reportedly written using red lipstick. Following established security protocols, the arriving flight was directed to an isolation bay immediately upon landing.
"Once again, all passengers were safely deboarded before comprehensive security checks commenced," stated an airport official familiar with the evening operation. The consistent application of security procedures demonstrated the airport's preparedness for such threats, though the back-to-back incidents created an unusually tense atmosphere throughout the facility.
Investigation Challenges and Security Implications
Security officials investigating both incidents face significant challenges in identifying the individuals responsible for the threatening messages. While commercial aircraft cabins typically feature CCTV cameras that record passenger movements, aircraft lavatories remain camera-free zones to protect passenger privacy.
"This privacy protection, while important, creates an investigative blind spot," acknowledged a security official. "Without visual evidence from the lavatories, determining exactly who wrote these messages becomes considerably more difficult."
Preliminary assessments suggest that passengers on the affected flights likely authored the threatening notes. The similar nature of both incidents—handwritten messages discovered in aircraft lavatories—has raised concerns about possible copycat behavior or coordinated attempts to disrupt air travel.
The back-to-back security scares have highlighted the vulnerability of air travel to such threats, even when they ultimately prove to be hoaxes. Airport authorities emphasized that every bomb threat receives the same serious response regardless of its eventual verification status, as passenger safety remains the absolute priority.
Both incidents resulted in significant operational disruptions, with the morning flight experiencing a four-hour delay and the evening arrival undergoing extended security procedures. The repeated activation of emergency protocols kept CISF personnel and bomb disposal experts engaged throughout the day, testing the airport's response capabilities under pressure.
As investigations continue, airport security has been heightened with increased vigilance across all operations. The incidents serve as a stark reminder of the constant security challenges facing modern air travel and the comprehensive protocols in place to address potential threats to passenger safety.
